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dc.contributor.authorJacobsen, K.
dc.date2010
dc.date.accessioned2016-03-15T10:03:43Z
dc.date.available2016-03-15T10:03:43Z
dc.identifier.isbn978-90-8826-179-4
dc.identifier.urihttps://orfeo.belnet.be/handle/internal/736
dc.description<p>Bananas and plantains (<i>Musa</i> spp.) play a vital role in the food security of local populations and contribute to the economies of many developing countries. The Cameroon Highlands are an important production zone, accounting for one third of all <i>Musa</i> spp. produced in Cameroon. Plant parasitic nematodes are a major constraint for <i>Musa</i> production. In the Cameroon Highlands, the nematode <i>Pratylenchus goodeyi </i>can be found in high numbers in <i>Musa</i> roots. Knowledge of the relative importance of each nematode species affecting <i>Musa</i> spp. is imperative when seeking effective management options, prioritising research goals or identifying technology transfer needs. The relative importance of <i>P. goodeyi</i> as a constraint for <i>Musa</i> production in the Cameroon Highlands was therefore examined. <br></p><p>Firstly, the study area was characterized. Interviews were held with 216 farmers of the Cameroon Highlands to better understand their cultivation practices and pest awareness. The survey revealed that <i>Musa</i> spp. are one of the most important crops for a majority of farmers in the Cameroon Highlands. In all fields visited, <i>Musa</i> spp. were planted in mixed cropping systems. At most farms, <i>Musa</i> spp. were primarily infested with <i>P. goodeyi</i>. The most commonly cited <i>Musa</i> production constraints were damage caused by the weevil larvae, toppling and leaf necrosis. Pest awareness was strongly linked to the visibility of the pest. While most farmers were aware of the banana weevil, only few had ever heard of a nematode before. </p><p>Secondly, a field experiment was set up to examine the damaging potential of <i>P. goodeyi</i>. Three <i>Musa</i> cultivars were planted into an infested field and their growth and production were observed during 830 days. <i>Pratylenchus goodeyi</i> was the main cause of root damage. Higher root damage was associated with reduced yield due to toppling, lengthening of the growth cycle and a failure to establish. Damage observed during this trial was generally higher for the plantain cultivar compared with the two banana cultivars. The plantain was also more susceptible to the combined effects of low soil fertility and nematode damage. This experiment demonstrated that P. goodeyi is capable of causing significant damage to <i>Musa</i> spp. in farmers fields. </p><p>Thirdly, the host range of <i>P. goodeyi</i> was evaluated on 12 crops commonly planted by farmers in the Cameroon Highlands. Banana was used as a susceptible reference crop. Beans and maize (cv. CMS 8704) were good hosts of <i>P. goodeyi.</i> Watermelon and onion were intermediate hosts. Maize(cv. Kasaï), taro,okra, Irish potato and sweet potato were poor hosts; while cocoyam and tomato were very poor hosts. These results confirm that <i>P. goodeyi</i> has a narrow host range, but also highlight the importance of validation trials prior to advising crops to farmers, as differences were observed among cultivars of the same crop and with the results obtained in previous studies. <br></p><p>These results suggest that <i>P. goodeyi</i> is a more important constraint to <i>Musa</i> production than previously thought. The importance of <i>Musa</i> spp. for farming households, the low levels of pest awareness and the capacity of <i>P. goodeyi</i> to cause severe yield loss, underscore an urgent need to increase farmer training initiatives in the Cameroon Highlands.</p>
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherK.U.Leuven
dc.relation.ispartofseriesDoctoraatsproefschrift nr. 941 aan de faculteit Bio-ingenieurswetenschappen van de K.U.Leuven
dc.titleThe importance of <i>Pratylenchus goodeyi</i> on bananas and plantains in the Cameroon Highlands and development of cultural control methods
dc.typeBook
dc.subject.frascatiBiological sciences
dc.audienceScientific
dc.subject.freeBiological collection and data management
dc.source.page193
Orfeo.peerreviewedYes
dc.identifier.rmca2197


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